Marble or ball projector.



PATENTED JUNE9,'1903.

G. H. 'HAGAN. MARBLE 0R BALL PROJECTOR.

A PPLIOATI OH FILED JULY 18, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented June 9, 1903.

PATE T OFFICE. I

GEORGE II. HAGAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIAJ MARBLE OR BALLPROJECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 730,258, dated June 9,1903.

Application filed July 18,1902. Serial No. 116,067. (No model.)

To ooZZwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. IIAGAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a certain Improvement in Marble or BallProjectors for Games, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in marble-projectors for games,and has for its object to provide a device of this description by whicha marble may be projected from the projector at any angle desired by theoperator and with any degree of force.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, the constructionand operation will now be described in detail, referring to' theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device, showing the same applied to agame-board; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same; Fig. 3, a vertical' sectionon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In games-such as miniature bowling-alleys, bagatelle, and 'thelikewherein it is desirable to project marbles at certain objects orcause them to enter pockets a spring-plum.

ger is generally used to actuate and project the marble; but by the useof this stationary spring-plunger the marble can be only projected inone direction, and the purpose of my deviceis toenable the operator toproject the marble in any desired direction while the spring-plungerremains stationary.

In the drawings, A represents a gameboard, and B is the plunger, whichis secured at the end of the rod 0, which rod passes through the end ofthe game-board and has secured on its outer end aknob or handle D forpulling the plunger backward. ,i

E is a spring, interposed between the plunger and the inside face of theend of the game-board,so that when the plunger is pulled backward andreleased the spring will project the marble forward.

F is a plate secured to the bottom of the cured rigidly in a housing I,which housing slides within the guideway formed by the overturned edgesG of the 'plate F. The semicircular runway H, together with the housingI, forms a circular guideway for the plunger B. The other end of therunway H terminates on a level with the bottom of the game-board,so thatif a marble is placed within the housing I and the plunger E drawnbackward said marble will be projected forward and entering the runwaywill by centrifugal force revolve around the spiral and be projectedfrom the end H of the runway onto the board. On account of this runwayHbeing made of thin sheet metal the different turns of the same may beseparated one from the other laterally, and to the last turn, or nearthe end H, is secured a handle H by which the runway is manipulated.Thus it will be seen that by grasping the handle H the spiral may beextended so as to project the ball toany desired-point on the board orin any other desired direction.

While I have shown the spiral only composed of two turns, itis obviousthat the same could be composed'of any number of turns,

"so as togive the spiral greater extension, if

desired, and while I have shown the spiral secured to theboard by themeans illustrated in the drawings it is obvious that the same couldbesecured in any desirable way without departing from the spirit of theinvention. e

The advantage of my invention is that I am enabled by my improvedprojector to convert games which are not purely chance games into gamesof skill. In fact, my invention is applicable to any game in whichmarbles are projected, and particularly miniature bowling-alleys, inwhich it is desirable to be able to aim the ball at a particular pin.-

While I have shown the end H of the spiral terminating so as to shootthe ball or mar-' ble along the surface of the board, it is obvious thatthe end H may be upturned to a more or less degree, so as to project themar- ICO ble upward, and it could then be used for striking objectsabove the surface of the board.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction hereshown, as slight modifications could be made without departing from thespirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and usefulis 1. In a marble or ball projector for games, a spiral chute consistingof one or more turns, said spiral chute being coiled vertically, aspring-plunger for projecting the marble or ball into the chute, saidspiral chute adapted to be extended laterally for the purpose ofprojecting the marble at any desired angle or direction, as set forth.

2. In a device of the character described, a spiral chute consisting ofone or more complete turns, a base, a housing secured to the base, oneend of the chute secured in the housing, a spring-plunger guided withinthe housing, a knob upon the outside of the board for withdrawing thespring-plunger, and a handle secured upon the spiral chute for extendingthe samelaterally, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a device of the character described, a base, a spiral chute orrunway composed of semicircular thin sheet metal, a plate secured to thebase, a housing removably secured to the plate, one end of the spiralchute or runway secured in the housing, the spiral chute or runwayforming a true circle, a springplunger located within the housing, aknob upon the outside of the base for withdrawing the plunger, and ahandle for extending the spiral chute or runway laterally, as and forthe purpose specified.

*4. In combination with a base,a spiral chute or runway, means forprojecting a ball or marble into the spiral chute, a handle forextending the spiral chute laterally, as and for the purpose specified.

5. In combination with a base, a spiral chute or runway, one end ofwhich is removably secured to the base, means for projecting a ball ormarble into the spiral chute or runway, and a handle secured to the lastturn of the spiral chute or runway for extending the same laterally, asset forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two sub scribing witnesses.

GEORGE II. IIAGAN.

Witnesses:

H. B. IIALLOCK, L. W. MORRISON.

